Gas mixer



Oct. 22, 1935. G. L UclcH 2,18,561

GAS MIXER Filed March 11, 1933l J8 H y @LaCie/z' (Ittorneg 3 nventor Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 11, 1933, Serial No. 660,405 In Italy March 11, 1932 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a gas mixer to be interposed between a Carburettor, whatever its type, and an internal combustion engine, `to atomize the fuel mixture for the latter and improve its efficiency. In this way a more intimate mixture is obtained between the oil vapor and the air, and this causes the better eiciency above mentioned.

The invention is carried out by providing one or more helicoidal vane wheels along the path of the mixture, the projection of the vanes in normal direction tothe axis being larger than the passage hole, the vanes of one wheel, when the latter are more than two, being inclined in opposite directions from that of the other wheel.

After each wheel is provided a means for the breaking up of the oil particles, such as, for instance, a strainer, the vane wheel or Wheels being loosely mounted and free to rotate and the strainers being fixed or vice-versa. The whole is preferably provided with a regulating and throttling means that may advantageously replace the actual throttle valve of the Carburettor.

The device in question may be such as to be placed within the pipe existing between the carburettor and the engine; or it may form a unit to be interposed between the carburettor and the flange arranged on the engine.

The operation of the device is produced by the suction of the engine; though this suction accomplishes a further object which is to set the above-mentioned elements into rotation and overcome the resistance to the passage of the mixture through the strainer, yet the better physical condition that is obtained for the mixture is such as to largely compensate for the aforesaid loss and to obtain a higher eiiiciency.

The invention also relates to constructional improvements, these improvements having been suggested by practical trials. Said trials have also shown a further particular utilization of the device conceived according tothe invention.

They have demonstrated that the device produces a perfect atomization of the liquid fuels 'even if these have a remarkable density, as it I'is with gasoline, Diesel oil, and like fuels. The perfect atomization assures a perfect combustion :within the engine eliminating vapor and unburnt particles. This has permitted of feeding the explosion engine on petrol mixed with said heavy oils thus producing a considerable saving.

Said trials have also demonstrated that the advantage obtained in the atomization oi the liquid fuel is accompanied by an undesirable acrtion with respect to the suction of the air necessary to the mixture; to overcome this disadvantage additional auxiliary inlets for the air (the number and the position of which vary according to the case) have been provided through which the auxiliary air can reach the interior 5 of the device or in general it can cooperate to ,the formation of the mixture; the number and the position of the air inlets vary according to the fuel employed, the engine to which the device is applied and various other factors. 10 Further the trials have demonstrated that it is convenient to reduce the axial length of the apparatus within certain limits; to this effect, the

regulating and throttling device located on one -end of the apparatus is, in accordance with the 15 and preferred embodiment of the invention.

With particular reference to the Figures 1 to 4 the body (I) of the device 1s secured to the 30 Carburettor (not shown) by means of the flange (2) and to the pipe (4), leading to the engine (not shown), by means of the flange (3). A disc (6) presenting radial perforations ('I) is tted into the cylindrical interior of the body 35 (I) and held therein by means of the screw (5) The position of said disc is securedby the abutment (8). On to the centre hub (9) of said disc is screwed the shaft (I0) on which are successively mounted, the vane wheel (I I), the bearing (I2) for a screen (I3), a second vane-wheel (I4), a second bearing (I5) for another screen (I6). The screens (I3 and I6) are respectively secured to their bearings (I2 and I5) which are in their turn secured to the body (I) by means of the screws (I1 and (I8) in this manner, the shaft (I0) with the screens (I3) and (I6) is fixed, while thevane wheels (II) and (I4) revolve, the rotation of one wheel being opposite to that of the other wheel inasmuch as the inclination of the vanes, as shown in Fig. 1, are inverse. Ball bearings (I9, 20, ZI and 22) allow the rotation of the vane wheels with a minimum expenditure of energy. One of these wheels is constituted, Fig. 3, by a. ring (2s), ahub (24) and 55 i the ball bearings (49) and (50).

vaines V(25), the latter being so dimensioned and positioned as to entirely cover, by their projection on a plane normal to the axis, the area for the passage of the mixture. On the centre hub (9) a stud is applied (26) which is provided with a nut and a counter-nut (21) and a spring (28) the latter acting to press a disc 29 against the disc 1; the disc (29) is provided with a, gear (39) engaged by a pinion (Y3I) mounted upon a shaft (32) passing through the body (I) and on which is mounted, on the outside, an operating arm (33) ending with an eye (34) and urged by a small suitable spring, not shown, against the adjusting screw (35), the latter being set in position and held by means of the usual xing and locking means'(36). The disc (29) is formed with openings (31, 38) corresponding with the openings V('l) of the disc (6) previously mentioned. The disks 6 and 29 thus cooperate to function as a disk Valve.

If a greater or lesser rotation is imparted to the lever (33) in the direction of the arrow (39) by means of a tie-rod applied at (34), the openings (31, 38) are brought out of registration with the openings (1) thus throttling more or less the mixture passing through such openings; the suction set upby the engine .will cause the vane wheels (I I) and (I4) to revolve in opposite directions, and the rotation of such wheels, combined with the action of the screens (I3) and I 5) will produce an atomization of the material within the chamber (40) thus producing a better efliciency.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated by Fig. 5, it will be seen that the body (I) connected to the connection (2) presents a cylindrical body (42) provided with flange (43),; the cover (44) joined to the connection (3) is formed externally with the flange (45) that is capable of cooperating with the flange (43) by means of the screws (46) and externally with an abut# ment 44a. Sleeve-like members |2a and I5a are confined between the abutments 8 and 44a. The whole contained in the body (42) closed by its cover `(44), may be removed, for inspection and cleaning purpose, in the direction of the arrow (41); to this end it will be suincient to remove' entirely the screw (48) mention of which will be made hereinafter. i

The two opposite-pitch vane Wheels (I I) and (|4) are mounted on the shaft( III) by means of The ball bearings will preferably be formed With a seat (5I) Y where the wheel (I I) or (I4) is applied by means of a ring V(52) (the latter being secured either by rivet,for by screw, or by the like); when necessary, the bearing can be provided with a double row of balls, as illustrated.

The lower disc (2Q) is urged against the upper disk (6) by the conical coil spring (28) anda hood A(53) also of substantially frusto-conical shape, is placed above the nut (21), the whole being so formed as to'facilitate the travel of the uid and the mixture in the direction of the arrow (54). For the operation of the disc (29) relatively to the disc (6) the cylindrical body (42) is provided with a horizontal slot (54') through which passes the rod' of the screw (48) that is screwed in the disc (29); a nut (55) serves to secure the screw (48) and the disc (29) in the position required.

'I'he device is also formed with one or various inlets for the auxiliary air; such inlets can be 5 positioned at any suitable point whatever, such as, for instance, on the frusta-conical surface (56), on the cylindrical surface (42) or on the frustoconical surface (44). In the exemplified embodiment, said air inlet is located on the cylindrical 10 surface (42) and is constituted by a simple cock (51) operated by means of the arm (58) which is preferably operated from a distant point by means of a flexible wire engaging with the slot (59). l5

Although for descriptive reasons the present inventicnhas been based on the foregoing speciication and on the accompanying drawing, yet many practical modications, in addition to those already indicated, may be made in the practice 20 of the invention; thus, for instance, it is possible to modify the bearing system for the iixed and the movable parts, the dimensions of the unit in such a way as to permit its ntting inside the conduit leading from the Carburettor to the engine. 25 Furthermore, and with particular reference to Fig. 5, it is possible to modify the applicationvof the vane wheels (I4) to the rings of the ball bearings, the feeding means as Well as the regulating means for the auxiliary air. In fact it would be 30 possible to predispose openings in correspondence to the cylindrical casing (42) and to the sleeve member I 2a and, through a motion of an element relatively to the other, to cause said opening to register more or less with each other in order to 35 aiford a larger or a smaller passage for the auxiliary air. Similarly, through a suitable displacement of the flanges (43) and (45) an analogous particularly could be arranged for the upper part of the apparatus, etc. etc. the above modica- 4.0 tions as well as other eventual modifications being based on the conceptions of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the present invention and in 45 what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

A gas mixer comprising a two-part hollow body having an inlet opening and an outlet opening at the opposite ends thereof, internal abut- 60 ments in the respective parts of the body, a disk valve constituting a supporting member seated on one of said abutments, a shaft carried by said supporting member and extending axially through the body, superposed vane Wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, separable sleeve-like members fitted Within the body and conlned between the supporting member and the other abutment, foraminous elements, interposed between the sleeve-like members and certain of the abut- 00 ments and located one behind each of the vane wheels with respect to the direction of flow of fluid through the body, and means removably clamping the body parts together to maintain the sleeveinous elements in position.

GIOVANNI LUCICH. 

